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Saturday, August 4, 2012

The LA Times story of failed DA candidate Carmen Trutanich's mountain of debts has exploded in a way that Trutanich must surely see as indicative of the futility of any future campaign to retain his job.

No sooner had the LA Times broke the exclusive story that Trutanich was over $154,000 in debt after his disastrous attempt to fool voters into thinking he was qualified to be DA, Trutanich's volunteer network of unpaid supporters insisted that Trutanich had miraculously and suddenly paid down the debt to 'only' $112,000.

That $112,000 apparently relates to bills for tv ads which Trutanich placed through his former campaign consultant, John Shallman. Trutanich's volunteer spokesman claimed that Trutanich was disputing the $112,000 bill because he had not seen any 'backup documentation' for the tv ads, however, anyone watching tv in the week before the election could easily confirm that there were more than enough Trutanich ads to make 78% of voters sick of hearing his name and seeing his face.

Despite the explanation, the story of Trutanich's debts has given LA's talk radio another opportunity to remind listeners that Trutanich is not only a loser, but possibly a deadbeat who does not pay his bills.

KABC's Doug McIntyre was first to relate the story to Friday morning listeners with this piece likening Trutanich's disastrous candidacy to the Hindenburg disaster.

McIntyre notes that Shallman, who is now allegedly Trutanich's sole creditor, dumped Trutanich and now works for termed-out State Assemblyman Mike Feuer who needs to use the City Attorney's office to continue his political career. Could that be the real reason why Trutanich is not paying for his tv ads? Or is it, as McIntyre speculates, the fact that now that Trutanich has been 'Tagged with the big 'L' for 'LOSER,' the Scarlet ''L,' it's real hard to find anyone to write fresh checks.'

McIntyre is not the only talk show host to carry the story of Trutanich's debts; KFI AM640's John and Ken show relished in more misery to the former DA wananbe.

If reaction to news of Trutanich's debt is any indication of the way Los Angeles regards Carmen Trutanich, it bodes very well for the newly announced candidacy of Police Rights Attorney Greg Smith. Trutanich will have a very hard time overcoming the reputation he earned for himself as a liar who cannot be trusted. If he thinks his failure to honor the pledge to serve that made in 2009 has been forgotten because he did not succeed in becoming DA, he is clearly very much mistaken. Trutanich's reputation as an untrustworthy liar will be the defining issue in the 2013 primary election. If he doesn't pay his bills, expect the word 'deadbeat' to be added to his ballot designation.